[brendan]

What is the little plastic piece to the lower right of the automatic transmission control here (it's on the opposite side from the '2'):

http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/image/020603115348.jpg

When I recieved my Element, there was a hole there, but the plastic cover shown filling that hole is sitting in a baggie with the car documentation. Before I plug the cover in, I'm curious to know why it's not in there by default and what the hole is for...

In addition, there was a bag of larger rubber ovals - are those for roof rack installation, or something else?

thanks,
brendan

 

[Element]

The hole is their for just in case your shifter is stuck. I believe you can either stick your key or a screw driver in the hole to loosen up the auto/sticker shifter.

The large ruber oval are plugs which are underneth your car. If you are not going to add side steps, then use the oval plugs to plug the holes back up. If you are adding side steps, then store the plugs away.

 

[klynch13]

If you park your element on a hill or cut the wheel to tight it sometimes locks up the shifter. They have that hole to release your shifter. I never had to use it. My CRV has it too.

 

[firetruck41]

Sounds like your dealer didn't do the pre-delivery inspection! Wonder what else they forgot? Someone had posted the PDI in the past, with where the plugs go, and what ever else was involved in the PDI, you may be able to find it with a search.

 

[brendan]

[quote:51fa44329b="firetruck41"]Sounds like your dealer didn't do the pre-delivery inspection! Wonder what else they forgot? Someone had posted the PDI in the past, with where the plugs go, and what ever else was involved in the PDI, you may be able to find it with a search.[/quote:51fa44329b]

Heh, son of a gun. "Install shift lock release cover" is checked. However, the cover was sitting on the salesperson desk the entire time in the bag w/ the manual, so the tech didn't have access to it that day (sep 7). The PDI checklist is dated as Aug 21, but I know some things were performed on Sep 7. Weird.

I asked for an extra copy of both the PDI Checklist and the Delivery Checklist since the salesperson and I waiting until after closing time to finally get to the beginning of the finance guy's queue and didn't go over everything. I'd reviewed the delivery checklist, but had forgotten about the PDI checklist...

Thanks. And, yeah, the little cover is mentioned in the manual too...

-brendan